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2005 California Academy of Sciences
CalPhotos
Interestingly, this limpet is found only on the straplike fronds of the feather boa kelp Egregia upon which it grazes, as seen here. The deep excavation is characteristic.
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1999 California Academy of Sciences
CalPhotos
seaweed limpet
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This protoconch is moderately large and has fine pitted sculpture over the entire surface, giving it a grainy appearance under the light microscope. It is flattened, so it will generally be found lying with the aperture down, and there are deep indentations at the sides of the aperture. From above, the outline of the shell is oval (photo above, left), but when viewed from the side the back of the shell comes to a blunt point, as if it had been compressed from the sides. The morphology and size match N. densata, the only species for which the protoconch is known (see Warén & Bouchet, 2001, p. 144 (Fig.15a-c) for SEM's of the protoconch) and it is the most likely candidate based on adult habitat (it is found at 13°N and the other species are from 21°N or Gorda Ridge), but we cannot eliminate the other possibilities.
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This protoconch is moderately large and has fine pitted sculpture over the entire surface, giving it a grainy appearance under the light microscope. It is flattened, so it will generally be found lying with the aperture down, and there are deep indentations at the sides of the aperture. From above, the outline of the shell is oval (photo above, left), but when viewed from the side the back of the shell comes to a blunt point, as if it had been compressed from the sides. The morphology and size match N. densata, the only species for which the protoconch is known (see Warén & Bouchet, 2001, p. 144 (Fig.15a-c) for SEM's of the protoconch) and it is the most likely candidate based on adult habitat (it is found at 13°N and the other species are from 21°N or Gorda Ridge), but we cannot eliminate the other possibilities.
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This is a moderately large protoconch, with shallow, coarse pitted sculpture over the entire shell, giving it a grainy appearance under the light microscope. The shell is dorsoventrally flattened, so it is usually found either with the aperture facing down or lying at an angle with the aperture visible. The posterior portion of the aperture flares out from the body, forming a deep indentation on both sides. The posterior of the shell is smoothly rounded.
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This is a moderately large protoconch, with shallow, coarse pitted sculpture over the entire shell, giving it a grainy appearance under the light microscope. The shell is dorsoventrally flattened, so it is usually found either with the aperture facing down or lying at an angle with the aperture visible. The posterior portion of the aperture flares out from the body, forming a deep indentation on both sides. The posterior of the shell is smoothly rounded.
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This is a moderately large protoconch, with shallow, coarse pitted sculpture over the entire shell, giving it a grainy appearance under the light microscope. The shell is dorsoventrally flattened, so it is usually found either with the aperture facing down or lying at an angle with the aperture visible. The posterior portion of the aperture flares out from the body, forming a deep indentation on both sides. The posterior of the shell is smoothly rounded.
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Though these individuals are worn (which is not uncommon), the ridges which are more prominent on the posterior end can still be seen if studied carefully. The two upper individuals have the anterior end to the right, while in the lower individual anterior is to the left.
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Lottia digitalis is a fairly tall limpet with the apex far forward (in the anterior 1/4 of the shell's length). In some individuals (not these) it actually overhangs the front of the shell.
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The horseshoe-shaped scar, with the open end to the anterior (right) can be clearly seen in this shell. Note also the brown apical blotch (which in this individual is mostly behind the apex)
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This dense aggregation of individuals is next to a very high tide pool at Beach #4, Olympic Peninsula.
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This aggregation was on a vertical rock surface, upper midlittoral, Swirl Rocks.
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Lottia digitalis in high intertidal crack, Sares Head. About 2 cm long. (Photo by: Dave Cowles April, 2005)
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Acmaea mitra White-Cap Limpet, Dunce-cap limpet, Bishop's cap limpet, Chinese hat limpet Acmaea mitra shell found at Rosario. The true shell color (white) shows through, and the shell of this individual is partly eroded by a burrowing species. Photo by: Ryan Lunsford 2002
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Lottia asmi (on right), about 0.5 cm long, on a Chlorostoma funebralis snail shell. At San Simeon Beach, CA (Photo by: Dave Cowles, August 2010)
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The photos above and below show limpets keying to Lottia pelta, found on Egregia kelp on the beach at San Simeon, CA August 2010. Photos by Dave Cowles Note the mottled color on this individual, while the smaller, partly obscured individual to the left and another in the photo above are nearly black on the outside of the shell. Outside coloration in this species is highly variable, reflecting the genetic variability within the species.
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The foot and viscera of the species are white. Photo by Dave Cowles, San Simeon Beach, CA, August 2010
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Lottia pelta Shield Limpet Left: Top view of Lottia pelta with barnacle. Right: Interior of Lottia pelta shell. Photo by: Ryan Lunsford 2002 Collected at Rosario
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Lottia pelta Shield Limpet Left: Top view of Lottia pelta with barnacle. Right: Interior of Lottia pelta shell. Photo by: Ryan Lunsford 2002 Collected at Rosario
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